Standing Here, Waiting
by Aria Morelle
Summary: Hermione's got a problem, and nobody knows what's wrong...maybe Ron can help.


Standing Here, Waiting.  
  
This is my first ever fan-fic, so be nice! :D - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -  
  
It was one of those moments you'd remember for the rest of your life. A moment so profound, that you would dream it, over and over again. This solitary piece of time changed it in ways I'd never dreamed possible.and it could have just saved my life.  
  
* * * * * *  
  
"Hermione! Hermione, it's your move." Harry's voice drew me suddenly out of my absent staring out of the window in the Gryffindor common room. We were playing wizard chess for the fourth time that morning. It was a game that Harry, Ron and I found ourselves playing a lot during our Christmas vacation. It was our fifth year at Hogwarts, and the first year that I got to stay at Hogwarts for Christmas break. My parents were heading off to some fancy resort in America, and I opted not to join them, as I'd rather stay with Harry and Ron than travel any day. Muggle life didn't interest me at all suddenly after our fourth year at Hogwarts. Actually, I'd lost interest in lots of things that I'd been fascinated with the four previous years at Hogwarts. "Oh, sorry Harry." I moved my knight and settled back into my cushy crimson chair with gold braiding - the Gryffindor colours. "Checkmate!" Harry cried rather triumphantly, and gave me a look. "Hermione, what is wrong with you lately? You usually beat me at chess, and today I've won every time!" "I don't know what you're talking about. I'm - fine, I just." I trailed off with a sigh. Harry stared at me searchingly - he seemed to want to say something, but he didn't. Instead, he got up and walked toward the fireplace. He stood gazing into the flames for a minute or so, and then climbed the stairs up to his room.  
  
* * * * * *  
  
"Ron, I think Hermione's got a problem." I confessed to my friend. "Haven't you noticed that she hasn't been herself lately? She's just sort of.listless and alone." Ron nodded his head. A strand of his fiery red hair fell across his eyes, and he brushed it away with his hand. "Harry, you know how I feel about Hermione, in fact - you're the only one. I just feel so terrible seeing her this way.but I don't know what I can do to help her out. I just wish she would open up to me, let me know what's going on! But how?" I thought for a moment. I wasn't exactly a genius when it came to girls.in fact, I was the opposite. So far this year, things with Cho hadn't turned out at all, and now my best friend was asking for help in his relationship with my other best friend. "Maybe..."I ventured, "you could tell Hermione that you like her as more than a friend. Tell her that you actually love her. Maybe, just maybe, she'll feel the same way - and that might help her out of her unhappiness."  
  
Ron turned a light shade of pink. "I'll think about it." He said, "But no promises."  
  
* * * * * *  
  
As I sat by myself on my bed that night when everyone else was at dinner, I thought about Hermione. She had recently caught my attention in a way that was more than friendly, and that scared me at first. I mean, in Years 1-3, Hermione was just another one of the guys.but something in her changed during Year 4. I think she realized that she could have friends of her own - I mean, like female friends. After she went to the dance with Viktor Krum, she started to be more open with how she reacted to people, and quickly made friends.her closest being Tara Lennox, Natalie Schoefield, and Whitney Valla. Her not socializing with only guys (namely, Harry and I) made me see even more, the wonderful, special, beautiful person that she is. Was. Is? Hermione.just confuses me more and more every day. I have days where I worship the ground she walks on, I have days where I'm scared of her, and I have days where I'm scared of myself, and what I might do to win her over. But as of yet, I haven't made a move.now I'm torn. I don't know if my confessing my feelings to her would hurt her even more than she is already hurting, or make her happier.  
  
Wait. What was that? I heard Hermione before I saw her.  
  
"Hey Ron," she whispered softly.  
  
* * * * * *  
  
More to come soon! Please tell me what you think - constructive criticism would be nice. 


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